Latch



M. 1. c. A. MAURER.

LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3I, I921.

g yg Patented May 16,1922.

A? fil i a ti. r. .i r r JVIAR'I'IDT J. C. A. IVIAUBJER, 0E SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

LATCH.

Application filed October 31, 1921.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, MARTIN J. C. A. MAURn-R, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which the following is-a specification.

The invention relates to latches and has for its object to provide in combination with a slidable latch a substantially right angularly shaped latch, the arms of which may be simultaneously moved into registration with the ends of the slidable latch thereby pre venting longitudinal movement of said. slidable latch. Also to provide means for limiting the movement of the slidable latch and a right angularly shaped latch. I

A further object is to provide a frame in which the slidable latch and the right angularly shaped latch are slidably mounted, and to provide apertured ears, one of said ears being carried by the frame and the other by the angularly shaped latch for the reception of a lock or a wire of a seal.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the latch, showing the same attached to a door and a part of a door frame. a

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the latch looking at the inner side thereof.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the latch, a portion of the door and door frame being shown in section.

Figure 1 is an enlarged detail view of the inner end of the slidable latch and one arm of the angularly shaped latch, showing the same in locked position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the arm of the angularly shaped latch raised and the slidable latch moved inwardly during an unlatching operation.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates a portion of a door, which door may be of a sliding type or of a hinged type. Secured to the door by means of screws 2 is a latch carrying frame 3. The

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgflggntgqgfl lflgmy 15, 1?};22,

Serial No. 511,847.

frame 3 comprises spaced acutely angled plates 4, which plates are spaced from each other by means of blocks 5 through which the screws 2 pass, thereby holding the plates & and the blocks 5 securely together and forming a frame. The horizontal portions 1 0f the frame 3 are provided with registering slots 4P, which slots receive the guide pins 6 of the slidable latch bar 7 which bar is slidable between the horizontal portions i of the plates 1, and which latch bar slides between the blocks 5 adjacent the free edge of the door 1 and on the block 5 at the inner end of the frame 3. The latch bar 7 cooperates with a keeper 8 carried by the door frame 9 for holding the door against opening, no matter whether it is a swinging door or a sliding one when the cooperating mechanism hereinafter set forth is in cooperative position in relation to the latch bar 7.

T he rear end of the latch bar 7 is bevelled as at 10 preferably at an acute angle, and slidably mounted between the acutely positioned arms 11 of the plates 4 is the arm 12 of an angular latching member 13, said member having its arm 12 slidably mounted between spacing blocks 5, and guidable in its sliding action by means of guide pins 14; disposed in registering slots 15 in the arms 11 of the spaced plates 4;. The guide pins 1-1 also limit the longitudinal movement of the arm 12 in its upward movement as clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Extending downwardly from; the upper end of the arm 12 is a substantially right angled arm 16, which arm terminates in a vertically disposed portion 17, which portion is so positioned that when the lower end 12 of the arm 12 is disposed behind the latch bar 7, and in engagement with the acutely angled end 10, said vertical portion 17 will engage the outer face 18 of the keeper 8 and be in alignment with the end 7 a of the latch bar, thereby preventing the latch bar from being moved or forced in either direction. When the latch bar is forced inwardly, the end 12 of the arm 12 of the angular latch member will prevent movement of the latch bar 7. If the door is a sliding door the vertical portion 17 of the arm 16 will engage the outer face 18 of the keeper and prevent in ward movement of the latch bar, therefore it will be seen that the device as a whole is applicable to a hinged door or to a slidable door, for instance a slidable door of the type used on freight cars. However it is obvious that the latch is so constructed that it may be used advantageously on farm gates where cattle are, as the latch bar is held against movement in either direction, therefore the latch cannot be operated by the cattle.

The upper block 5 is provided with an apertured ear 19, which apertured ear when the angular latching member 13 is in latching position as shown in Figure 1 receives the bail 20 of the lock 21, said bail passing through an apertured ear 22 carried by the arm 12 of the angular latching member 13, which apertured ear 22 is disposed adjacent the apertured car 19 when the latching member 13 is in the position shown in Figure 1. It will be seen that the device may be securely locked in such a manner that the slid ing latch bar 7 is held against movement as well as the angular member 13. here the device is used in connection with :l'reight car doors, if so desired the lock 21 may be eliminated and a conventional form of sealing wire passed through the apertures of the apertured cars 19 and 22 and a seal attached to said wires in the usual manner thereby sealing the latch against operation.

From the above it will be seen that a latch and locking means therefor is provided, which latch is positive in its operation and the locking means so constructed that the latch may be used in connection with a hinged or sliding door; also the parts have been reduced to a minimum thereby allowing the device to be cheaply constructed.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is 1. The combination with a slidable latch bar, one end of which cooperates with a keeper, of means for preventing longitudinal movement of said latch bar in either direc tion, said means comprising an angular sliding latching member having arms simultaneously movable into and out of registration with the ends of the latch bar.

2. The combination with a slidable latch bar, one end of which cooperates with a latch bar keeper, of means for holding said latch bar against longitudinal movement, said means comprising a member slidably mounted and movable towards and away from the latch bar, said slidable member being provided with arms positioned to register with the ends of the latch bar.

3. The combination with a slidable latch bar cooperating with a keeper, of a locking means for said latch bar, said means comprising a right angularly shaped latching member slidably mounted and having its arms positioned for simultaneous registration with the ends of the latch bar.

4. The combination with a slidable latch bar cooperating with a keeper, of a latching means for said latch bar, said latch means comprising a right angled member having the ends of its arms registering with the ends of the latch bar, one arm of said right angled member being slidably mounted ina guide, an apertured lug carried by said guide .and an apertured lug carried by the arm mounted in the guide and positioned where it will be disposed adjacent the guide carried apertured lug when the right angled member is in operation position.

5. The combination with a slidable latch bar cooperating with a keeper, of a substanti ally right angled member having the'ends of its arms disposed in registration with the ends of the slidable latch bar, one arm of said right angled member being slidably mounted in a guide and slidable at an angle to the latch bar.

6. A latch comprising a frame having a horizontal portion and a portion acutely positioned in relation thereto, a latch bar slidably mounted in the horizontal portion of the frame and cooperating with a keeper, a substantially right angularly shaped latching member having one of its arms slidably mounted in the acutely positioned portion of the frame, the other arm of said right angularly shaped latching member having its ends so positioned that when'the end of the portion of the right angled member is dis posed in registration with one end of the latch bar it will register with the other end of the latch bar.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MARTIN J C. A. MAURER. 

